How to Work as An English Teacher While in Tertiary Institution

College can be one of the greatest periods in your life but it is also a time where you should be figuring out “what’s next”. Will you pursue a career in your chosen field? Will you take a break from academics for a while? Or will you head into the wide world and explore all the wonderful places and cultures on offer? There is no wrong answer.

But one popular option to consider is an online job teaching English while you are still trying to figure it all out. Whether you want to gain experience, see the world, or make extra money, teaching English online could be your answer!

There is a common misconception that being an ESL teacher requires you to move to a far-off land and settle down for a couple of years, completing extensive contracts and working 10 hours a day. But this is far from the reality. Here is a look at some of the ways you could be working as an English teacher while in college.

Volunteer

How often have you wondered how you can better spend your summer break? Ten weeks of summer holiday is the perfect amount of time to teach English abroad. This might not be the best option if you are looking to make money, but it is an unmissable opportunity to make memories that will last you a lifetime.

South America and Asia have plenty of volunteer programs in remote and exciting locations like Costa Rica, Honduras, Cambodia, and Laos. These programs will allow you to learn about different cultures, explore exotic destinations, and most of all, have a lasting impact on people’s lives.

Many teaching facilities won’t hire students without qualifications or experience and don’t want to invest time and money into the training you need. But volunteering is an easy way to gain valuable experience in the field of teaching if you are looking to dive into teaching straight out of college.

Teach English Online

Teaching English online is the perfect way to earn extra money while at college. Many companies will hire English speakers with an accredited TEFL certificate and a few college credits.

Summer breaks are usually a busy time for online English teachers as kids are looking to learn in their free time between semesters. You can potentially earn up to $2000 per month if you teach an average of 6 hours a day during this time.

It’s not only kids who are learning English, but adults too! If you are studying in a specialized field like business or science, you could offer tutoring for English with specific purposes and earn a higher rate.

Here are some of the companies you can apply to without having a degree:

Cambly

This is a great beginner job for online teachers. You get paid $0.17 per minute to speak to students all over the world and help them practice English. No previous experience is needed and you can work as little or as much as your schedule allows.

SkimaTalk

SkimaTalk is a Japan-based company that connects students and teachers via Skype. They don’t have an online platform of their own and scheduling is very flexible. Teachers can also create their own unique lessons or use lessons from the SkimaTalk system if the student requests.

Lingoda

Lingoda is the leading online language learning platform in Europe and offers classes for English, German, French, and Spanish. They don’t require a minimum number of hours and you can earn between €7 – €11 per hour. The students are adults and classes are offered 1-on-1 or in small groups of 3 to 5 students.

Verbling

If you have a little bit of teaching experience but have not finished your degree, Verbling could be a perfect fit for you. You set your own rate and students can book you far in advance. Verbling Video is the platform’s own video chat platform that connects students and teachers. Most of the students are adults and can be from anywhere in the world.

Italki

This is one of the largest online learning platforms in the world, connecting students of any age and nationality to native English teachers. You also set your own rate (the minimum being $10) and there is no minimum number of hours you need to work. Multiple platforms can be used other than the official italki Classroom including WeChat, Google Hangouts, Zoom, Skype, and QQ.

Summer Camps

America might be best known for its summer camps, but Europe, China, and South America all have equally fantastic summer camps. The only difference is many students go there to learn languages as well as to spend time outdoors and make new friends.

You can teach a couple of hours of English each day and work as a camp counselor too. If you ever thought your counselors had the best job on the planet, you were pretty much right! Spend your days getting creative with kids in the outdoors, get to know other counselors from around the world, and get paid to do it. That sounds like a summer well spent!

What do I need?

Teaching online or abroad only has a few requirements that you can easily meet. First and foremost, you need to have a high level of English proficiency. If you are not a native speaker, your level should be around a C1.

The next step is to get a TEFL certificate. Most TEFL courses allow you to work at your own pace with course material being downloadable and tests taken digitally. If you prefer a more customized learning experience you would also love to know about a comprehensive ESL Teacher Resource, ranging from a beginner 20-hour course to an intensive 188-hour course. After you complete your certificate, you will also get assistance in finding job placements that are right for you.

So, forget about waiting till after college to start working as an English teacher. There are plenty of options that will fit in with your college schedule that will earn you money, broaden your horizons, and earn you valuable experience!